Five New Meeting Trends That Will Rock Your Next Event

Mood rings, pet rocks, the Cha Cha Slide, Red Bull, Tickle Me Elmo, the Thighmaster, awareness bracelets, Flash Mobs, reality TV shows, Starbucks, planking, Zumba and more.

These are all fads and trends that have occurred during the past. A large segment of the population adopted these trends and followed them with great enthusiasm for some period of time.

Five Meeting Trends To Watch!

So what’s being adopted within the meetings industry today? Here are five trends the trend spotters have found in today’s meetings and events.

1. Agility Rules

Some meeting professionals are showcasing their agility by making major changes to schedules and programs onsite during the event. Why are they allowing the sudden change? They are adapting their programming to the real-time immediate feedback of their attendees. The result? Attendees are thrilled to see such quick and immediate changes based on their needs and wants.

2. Meeting Laboratories

Some conference organizers are using part of the venue space and their schedule to try new things and experiment. They are setting up meeting laboratories where attendees can test out new room formats and sets, new programming ideas and more. Attendees voluntarily participate in these experiments and provide valuable feedback to conference organizers so they can make changes to upcoming events.

3. Creating “We Spaces” Not “I Spaces”

Space is the body language of any conference. When you walk into most spaces, the space tells you how to behave. Savvy meeting professionals are creating temporary spaces that foster collaboration and innovation among its users. Informal furniture grouped together in preconvene or large open areas allow participants to socialize and converse with each other. White boards on wheels give participants the ability to capture thoughts together. These spaces also foster a sense of belonging and encourage people to connect.

Read more from my post at Plan Your Meetings.

What are some meeting trends you’re seeing for the remainder of 2012? How are you experimenting at your next conference?